5 Ways To Ace Your Bride’s Speech
It’s been a solid while since I’ve been to a wedding but coincidentally one is coming up in my calendar, and I am suddenly exceedingly excited. Is it because of not-so-long-ago pandemic measures that put a temporary stop to this classic, year-round merriment, and reopening the wedding venues, ready to be filled with reunited friends and joyful family members, brings back that tingling house-party sensation or even those going-clubbing vibes of my younger years?
I am ashamed to say that I’ve never been to a wedding which featured a bride grabbing the mic to deliver a speech. What stone have I been living under? Most importantly though: Brilliant! Bring your pretty and your witty, and upstage the best man, I say.
Speaking of, I was the best man once. When my friend called me from his holiday, announcing his decision to have me as his best man, my ego was immediately drunk. A few days later my ego sobered up and realised, petrified, that I will be expected to make a speech, in front of all his and the bride’s extremely witty friends, as they both happened to be journalists.
To cut a long story short, I survived it, shockingly inspiring plenty of laughter too. I even read it from my A4 paper notes coherently enough but the champagne definitely helped beforehand. Which brings me to an awe of such a courageous bride who beside the pre-wedding stress and during-wedding nerves grabs the mic and takes it away.
What makes the bride’s speech a success?
The wedding team at Lake District Country Hotels put together a few helpful tips for a stress-free, memorable speech for the modern bride.
Minimise unnecessary stress
Eliminate all the possible stress-inducing things that could be avoided in advance. Like writing a draft and editing your speech a few months before the wedding. When you’re in the right headspace and your mind is relaxed, racking your brain for potential funny anecdotes won’t even be a thing. By being ahead of the game, you can rehearse the speech to perfection.
Use the element of surprise
Who knows your spouse-to-be better than you? Use it to your advantage. Relationships unlock a side to us that no one else sees, especially when living together. Any endearing, quirky or slightly annoying habits (perhaps clashing with yours) to share with the audience? Revealing something unknown to the wedding guests gives you the advantage of a shock factor and originality.
Bring the humour but choose wisely
You don’t have to be a stand-up comedian to nail the jokes in your speech, as long as they feel natural for you to say them out loud. If you avoid cliché jokes and inside jokes you’re already half-way there to hitting it on the head. An affectionate, insightful and light-hearted anecdote about you and your spouse is always a hit. Most importantly, know your audience.
Stay in touch with your emotions
Humour might not be your forte but you don’t need to pepper your speech with joke after a joke to keep the guests’ attention. The magic lies in balancing the humour with sentiment. Sprinkle your speech with affection towards your partner, as well as gratitude towards your loved ones who have supported you on your journey and now are sharing this special day with you.
Relax your mind and body on the wedding day
Make sure you deliver your speech like a pro. How? By being as relaxed as possible. Tell me more! Go for a walk, alone or with a fun companion. Just a short 10-minute walk is enough to relieve your stress, loosen up tense muscles and sharpen your mind according to a 2018 study.
Get your mind and body in sync for the wedding day ahead. Wedding venues in the Lake District are a great way to unwind – just a short stroll, paired with breathtaking scenery is certain to keep those nerves contained. And shortly before your speech, a glass of prosecco will of course give you some Dutch courage.
